Accuracy of anthropometric parameters in predicting prediabetes among adolescents in Eastern Sudan: a community-based...

The global increase of prediabetes and diabetes in adolescents raises the issue of early prediction of this metabolic disorder via anthropometric parameters, especially in limited resources settings such as Sudan. However, the reliability of these anthropometric predictors is inconclusive. This study aimed to examine the association between anthropometric measures, including body mass index (BMI), hip circumference (HC), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), body roundness index (BRI), and a body shape index (ABSI), and prediabetes in adolescents in eastern Sudan.

This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents in Gadarif City, Eastern Sudan. A questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic information. Anthropometric and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were performed following the standard procedures. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was generated. Multivariate binary regression analysis was performed.

Among the 401 adolescents, 186 (46.4%) were female, and 215 (53.6%) were male. The median (IQR) age was 14.1 (12.1-16.3) years. There was no correlation between BMI, WC, HC, WHR, BRI, ABSI, and HbA1c levels. Ninety-five (23.7%) adolescents were identified with prediabetes and 10 (2.5%) with diabetes. In univariate analysis, BRI (OR = 1.24, 95.0% CI = 1.01‒1.52) and BMI (OR = 1.05, 95.0% CI = 1.01‒1.10) were associated with prediabetes. The other anthropometrics and sociodemographic parameters were not associated with prediabetes. In multivariate analysis, BRI and BMI were not associated with prediabetes. All the tested anthropometric parameters, WHR (AUC = 0.51, cutoff = 0.80, sensitivity = 0.69, specificity = 0.44), BRI (AUC = 0.57, cutoff = 1.77, sensitivity = 0.77, specificity = 0.42), ABSI (AUC = 0.51, cutoff = 0.14, sensitivity = 0.77, specificity = 0.31), BMI (AUC = 0.55, cutoff = 18.30 kg/m², sensitivity = 0.45, specificity = 0.67), HC (AUC = 0.54, cutoff = 75.75 cm, sensitivity = 0.73, specificity = 0.36), and WC (AUC = 0.55, cutoff = 66.63 cm, sensitivity = 0.49, specificity = 0.63), had poor reliability in detecting prediabetes in adolescents.

This study demonstrated a lack of reliability of anthropometric parameters in predicting prediabetes among adolescents in eastern Sudan. Further extensive research is recommended in various regions of Sudan.